


Bonds

by shmrrr



Series: Commander Cody Week [1]
Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, CC-2224 | Cody Needs a Hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, could be concluded that cody has, homie cant take a break
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 17:54:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30025590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shmrrr/pseuds/shmrrr
Summary: If there was one thing Cody was confident in, it was following orders. The heat of battle, the rush of survival, the determination towin; it was something he knew well. But, if there was one thing he found himselfcompletelystumped on pursing, it was the prospect of a vacation. Of relaxing. Ofnotbeing at war.Luckily, Rex and Obi-Wan are there to coax him out of his shell.CODY WEEK DAY ONE: Bonds
Relationships: 212th Attack Battalion & CC-2224 | Cody, CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex, CC-2224 | Cody & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Series: Commander Cody Week [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2208780
Comments: 11
Kudos: 56





	Bonds

**Author's Note:**

> All copyright material does not belong to me.

“I'm sorry, sir, but  _ what _ ?”

Obi-Wan turned, flashing him a wry smile that only deepened Cody's confusion. Whenever the general had given him that look, it had always been a cover for his doing something reckless, something to sweeten an escapade Cody would ultimately hate. More often than not, that  _ something _ would land the Jedi in medical under the guidance of half the ward. Chip, the 212th's primary field medic, had always reminded Cody of what a menace their Jedi could be. Cody had never been able to do anything but nod because it was _damn_ true. Obi-Wan knew how to be a pain in the ass.

But they hadn't just returned from a battle, nor did they have anything scheduled. There was no foreseeable reasoning as to why his general gave him  _ that _ look, the one that was always surrounded by an air of mischief.  So why…?

"I said a vacation, Cody." Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, tilting his head towards him with ushered amusement as he repeated himself. "You  _ do _ know what a vacation is, no?"

Cody rolled his eyes under his bucket. "Don't insult me, general."

At that, Obi-Wan's smile widened into something bright and genuine. "I wouldn't think of it, commander. Now, walk with me." He continued his trek down the halls of their ship, heading towards the place he had been originally before Cody had interrupted him with mission reports. Intercepting the general had been routine, and instantly, Cody had brought up their latest mission to Vala-9, discussing his end of the reports that he was filing. But then Obi-Wan had interrupted him, had asked him about their current plans, and when Cody had told him they were free for at least another seven standard cycles, Cody had asked him, "Would you like to take a vacation, then?"

Obi-Wan stayed quiet as they rounded the corners of the halls, making their way further into the heart of the ship. It was only when they hung another right that Cody knew where they were or, rather, where they were headed:

The mess hall.

The general never ate in the mess hall. Cody wasn't even sure the general _ate_ , though he must have, but he certainly wouldn't with the clones.  In fact, most Jedi didn't even know where the mess hall  _ was. _ Cody had never taken it as a superiority complex, or any form of segregation. Rather, the troopers ate together, and the Jedi ate alone  _ if at _ _all,_ and that was how it had always been. So, as he followed Obi-Wan inside, he found the questions swimming in his head, the burning why's accompanied by the sharp utterance of what in  _ kriffing  _ hells was going on?

Upon entering, heads whipped towards them. Half the clones stopped eating, some freezing where they were, half-walked to a table, tray in hand. The others averted their eyes. One or two even stood in attention…

Obi-Wan bowed to the room before making his way towards the table where a majority of the 3rd systems' higher command sat. Gregor, Waxer, Boil, Rex, Appo, Fives, and a few others all tightened in their seats as the general stopped before the head of their table. "At ease, gentlemen. I merely have an announcement." Obi-Wan's eyes flicked to Cody - lighthearted amusement flashed in them - before he continued, "We will be making a detour to land for fuel and rationing on the beach moon of Megalia soon, stopping for approximately three solar cycles. There, I would like everyone to do strictly as ordered."

Rex glanced to Cody for only a moment before asking, "And what's that, sir?"

"Take a break." Obi-Wan said.

Silence fell over the table. Waxer and Boil frowned at one another, and Cody understood that confusion all-too-well; it wasn't as if they had never had a vacation before - a few hours of relaxation here, half a cycle to fuck around there - but Cody had always used that to catch up on paperwork, or to check their weaponry and reserves. Never had he once thought of himself as needing a vacation in the way the rich of the Inner Rim would. 

The Jedi continued, folding his arms loosely across his chest, "It's pertinent that everyone is in fighting order during this war, and that means to be well rested and relaxed as well as being battle-ready. So please  _ do  _ enjoy yourselves for those three days. Don't worry about credits or spending. Megalia is an ally of the Republic; all will be paid for in full."

The silence continued.a

Obi-Wan looked over his troops, then turned to Cody, nodding again. "Please spread the word to the rest of the troops, Cody." He clapped him on the shoulder, pivoted, and left.

As soon as the general was gone, Rex's expression twisted up. " _ Three _ cycles? What's the general thinking?"

"Is this a test?" Wooley, from a table over, asked. "It could be a test."

Cody lifted his bucket off his head and tucked it under his arm. "I don't think it is…"

The others all sucked in breaths at his words, but a calm settled over the mess hall. _That_ was what had confused Cody, though. How the others could relish in an absence of structure, going against what they were born for...

It was beyond him.

While the others finished their meals, a cacophony of excitement echoing throughout the mess hall, Cody left. He left without even _realizing_ that he left.

Before he knew it, he had disappeared into his private quarters, where he stood, paced, sat, stood again, sat once more, then rose to get prepared. If he were being ordered to 'take a break', as Obi-Wan said, he would need to have certain things accounted for, such as his blaster, or common clothing. He tucked away his flight suits and grabbed what simple clothes he had. Over the years, he had collected some from missions and odd jobs - most clones had - but they had always felt wrong to wear. He set out three outfits, rearranged them, grabbed one more set, put a different one away. What were they to do for three days? Rex's original exasperation had been mutual; they were clones, were soldiers bred for war and nothing short. To be left free to roam an entire planet, and a sunny  _ beach _ planet known for its perfect weather, its ever-stretching pink salt waters…

It was, dare Cody say, overwhelming?

He, clone marshal commander CC-2224, was  _ overwhelmed _ by a  _ vacation. _

Cody sighed.

When night rolled around, he was anxious. While the others slept, their snores bleeding through the ship's thin walls, he stayed awake. And as the morning cycle began and their landing sequence to Megalia's surface rang throughout the ship, Cody went still. The clothes were set out across his cot, his ideas of what he  _ could _ do scribbled on a datapad on his desk. But they were just that. They were just _ideas_ , not plans, not anything of substance, nothing solid with a backbone that he could straighten himself with--

"Starship 772: landing sequence completed. Welcome to Megalia."

Cody swallowed around his heavy pulse as he swiped up his blacks and armor and threw them on. His bucket was a snug weight, familiar and easy. He stepped out into the halls and a cold realization ran through his veins. He was the  _ only _ one in uniform. Everyone else was casual, was sporting things that bordered on being against code to merely _have_ aboard the ship, let alone being worn.

Coming from his left, Rex stopped at his side, hands on his hips.

"What happened to the general's orders?" He gestured with his chin to Cody's attire. Rex himself had donned black pants and a grey shirt, simple. All the tension Cody had seen in the other man from last night was all but gone, drained, leaving behind what he would have called piqued interest, had he not known Rex. But  Cody  _ did _ know Rex. And Rex was absolutely  _ elated _ , thrumming his fingers and grinning, a glint in his eyes. In fact, Cody was willing to bet he had never seen the captain so  _ karking excited  _ in his life.

It did nothing to calm Cody's nerves. If anything, he was even  _ more  _ stressed than before.

Someone passed by - Waxer, perhaps, or maybe Echo - and shouted out, "Commander, you look tense!"

Cody instinctively straightened his back. His shoulders squared and he hadn't even noticed. Though, Rex noticed. He set his hand on Cody's arm and pivoted him bodily, guiding him back into his room. Naturally, Cody resisted. " _ Rex _ , what are you doing?" he bit out.

"Following orders. Now get in there you _shabuir_." Rex shoved against him and they both stumbled into Cody's cramped quarters. Once in, Rex nodded to Cody and said, "Get that thing off."

He sighed bodily. "Rex, just drop it."

The words passed through the captain as he dove for the clothes Cody had set out earlier that morning, grabbing the black slacks from one day and a black shirt for another. He sent them Cody's way. "Here. Wear these. They're just like our flight suits, you won't even notice the difference."

"Rex--"

"Nah, come on." Rex shook the clothes in his hand, taunting. He didn't watch as Cody snatched the clothes and rubbed the material between his gloved fingers. They were softer than his flak blacks, made of a material similar to the general's robes, if anything. He doubted they had the temperature regulation, the moisture wicking, the element protection that his current attire had.

With both hands now free, Rex rummaged through his drawers, searching fast. "You got any other shoes? Those things'll suck in the sand."

"No." Cody mumbled.

Rex hummed, turned, and shrugged. "Alright. You can use some of mine. Put those on and come to my room." He didn't wait for Cody's protests, didn't linger to see him crumple in on himself as his heart clenched against his ribs. Distantly, Cody knew he couldn't wait forever; Rex  _ would _ come back, and he'd bring the whole goddamn 501st with him if he needed to. Gods forbid he find  _ Obi-Wan  _ and ask him to help wrangle him from his quarters. So Cody moved, numb, his movements jerky as he shed his uniform and slid on the clothes. Without boots, his socked feet were cold on the durasteel floor.

Vacation was supposed to be fun. It was in the goddamn _definition_ of the word. He was supposed to feel  _ relaxed _ . Yet, there was nothing relaxing about not knowing where he was going, not having orders, not being told what to do and how to do it, not feeling comfortable with experience to cushion him. This wasn't like navigating battlefield. Rather, it were as if Cody were floating in black space, an empty hopelessness swallowing him as he wandered with nowhere to grab, with nothing familiar to guide him to safety. He would suffocate. Would _die._

Perhaps that was a _tad_ too dramatic, but at the sensation of icy adrenaline in his veins, he certainly _felt_ fallible, breakable. 

Maybe, once he got outside, got to the dusty shores of Megalia, he would be more relaxed. Maybe the sight of his brothers enjoying themselves would bring him more comfort. Maybe the food, the drink, the music would be a salve to his spike-sharp nerves.  Or, maybe he would wilt with this same anxiety. Maybe he was incapable of fun, his directive crafting him for nothing but work, war, and weathering the tide of battle.

What kind of person was scared to have  _ fun? _

The shame slowed Cody's fingers, stopping him from tugging down the hem of the shirt. It fell into place loosely as he stood, silent, staring off.

His door slid open. Rex stepped in, wiggling a pair of boots in his grasp. "How long does it take a guy to put on  _ clothes? _ " he jabbed, but there was no heat to it. "Here, take these."

The boots in question were a simple brown, flat and basic, likely going to reach his ankle in height. They would fit, because if they fit Rex, they'd fit them all. Yet, Cody hesitated. He took the shoes and held them. Glancing up at Rex, he said, "I'd rather just stay in my room. Catch up on reports."

"That's not what the general ordered us to do last night." Rex said. Cody stiffened. The captain's face softened. "What's got you so scared, _vod?_ "

"Not  _ scared _ , Rex." Cody paused. He mulled over the words, over the right phrasing because he was  _ shit _ at expressing himself and the last thing he wanted to do was to make a fool of himself, of the 212th, of general Kenobi by saying something that would make him seem a coward. Eventually, he settled on, "It just doesn't feel right."

Judgement wasn't anything that Cody expected from Rex. The captain was always attentive, always patient when listening to his brothers. And now was no different. He nodded once in understanding, probably to make Cody feel better, to urge him to continue.

Reluctantly, Cody did. "We're  _ soldiers _ , Rex. There's something wrong about leaving our weapons and our gear and just…" He trailed off, staring at the wall beside Rex.

"How 'bout this…" Rex pointed to those shoes. "Put those on. That's your first order."

Cody blinked over at him, finally finding his eyes. "What?"

"First mission," Rex repeated "Put on those karking boots."

" _I'm_ the commander, Rex." Cody grumbled.

Rex shrugged. "Humor me."

With a bit of hesitation, Cody followed the 'order', sliding the shoes on one at a time, lashing the straps comfortably so they were tight and ready for him to break into a run if need be, but also loose enough to save him from cutting off his blood circulation. It felt oddly reassuring to follow the step-by-step procedure, the  _ order,  _ one that had a clear beginning and end, a stable objective to achieve. On the battlefield, Cody would be ordered to hold a blockade, would be ordered to maneuver his men to take a stronghold, would be  _ ordered _ . And those orders felt  _ right,  _ felt surmountable. The indecision and options were stripped away and it gave Cody control of a situation, something he always seemed to crave.

Once done with the shoes, Cody straightened up.

Rex nodded. "Okay, next mission: to the hangar doors!" He thrust a fist in the air and turned, leading the way out of the room.

"Rex, this is ridiculous." Cody sighed. Ridiculous, his mind supplied, but at least it made him feel  _ right _ .  _ Normal _ .  It felt so fantastically normal to just follow instructions from point A, to B, to C. So, he listened, keeping his head down as the two of them slipped into the near-empty hallway.

_Near_ , being the operative word.

"Captain Rex, commander Cody." At their right, Obi-Wan, flanked by Skywalker and Tano, slipped into view. All three of them were dressed comfortably, just as everyone else was. The general didn't linger on Cody's informality, something he was grateful for, as he continued, "Care to accompany us outside, gentlemen?"

"Of course, sir." Rex answered for them both.

The four began moving, Cody trailing behind the group. There wasn't anything clouding his head but, merely, he was just observing. That was one thing Cody prided himself on. He would listen, and observe, and note things that many others seemed to miss. Doing this, too, felt normal _._ Because, ahead of them, he could pick up on Tano and Skywalker's conversation, watching their animated excitement. Tano was bouncing around, left foot first, right foot following, jumping in front of Skywalker as she blurted out all the foods she would try. Skywalker, meanwhile, pointedly reminded her of their beach ball tournament. At that, his mechanical hand twitched.

"Cody," His head whipped sideways to catch the general's eye. "How are you?"

"Fine, sir." Cody replied automatically, stiffly. It sounded grating to his own ears, but if Obi-Wan found the reply to be too monotonous, he didn't say anything.

Instead, he asked, "Do you have any plans?"

The word 'plan' gave Cody some wiggle room, some semblance of peace. They made plans for the war, had plans of attack, of retreat, with rendezvous points and areas of extraction--

A weight lifted off Cody, then.

That was what he needed: an extraction point. He needed a method of retreat, a secure place to return to in order to regain control of the situation. If anything became too much, if someone _suddenly_ attacked them, he could go there, could regroup and fight back.

Taking a deep breath, he said, "I'll be looking around."

"Looking around?" The surprise colored Obi-Wan's voice, but it was free of interrogation. More, the general seemed intrigued.

Cody nodded. "Yes sir, looking around." He left it at that, letting Obi-Wan wander off in story as he told Cody about the last time he was on Megalia. All the while, Cody listened. This, too, felt normal. His Jedi would often tell tales whilst on the battlefield, describing his adventures as a padawan, his journeys around both the inner and outer rim territories. It had been his way of soothing the troops, Cody figured. And it had always worked, getting the men to relax into the details he had brought forth.

It was working now, too.

As they stepped down the ramp in the hangar bay, Cody felt lighter. His body moved fluidly as he listened to the general speak, as he watched Rex jog off towards where Fives and Hevy were corralling a vendor for food.

The bright white sands and soft pink waters were a soothing sight, far more calming than Cody had thought they would be. That, paired with the warmth of the sun, the voices of his troops echoing, their laughter, their brotherly bickering. There was life on Megalia. Life in their ship, throughout the 212th, the 501st, the 3rd systems. They were alive, and well, and for the first time in forever, _not_ at the fingertips of death.

Tension melted inside of him, turning to slush.

Soon, Cody would scout out his recon spot. And soon, he would think about the tactical advantages of said spot. But, for now, he would follow his general’s first order:

To relax.

He glanced to Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan nodded, turning and following Skywalker and Tano. Cody, meanwhile, flipped around and walked off to where a few of the others were. Some had gathered on the beach, had thrown off their boots and had began a ball game, the roar of the ocean and the sweet smell of the salty sea spray brushing over them. It coaxed Cody closer.

Boil nodded to him. “ _ Oya _ , commander!” He chest-passed the ball and Cody caught it. It was old, and leathery, but similar to the ones he had used for training back in the day on Kamino. It was familiar, was _normal._

When he glanced up, the competitive sneers and smirks of his brothers spurred him on, had him tossing the ball in the air and kicking it as far as he could. As the ball went flying, Cody finally felt weightless.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written for Clone Wars in about...six years? It's been a long time. So I greatly apologize if anyone isn't as they seem. I'm sure that, as this week continues, I'll grow more confident. But for now, this is what I have for day one!
> 
> It's...quite similar to another day in the prompt list but eh. Oh well.
> 
> Thanks for reading! This was a bit hastily put together, so let me know if there are any errors!
> 
> Want to hang out on tumblr? Check me out [here](https://imquitequiet.tumblr.com/)! Or, like Star Wars and whump? [Check out](https://discord.gg/EWa5Ecqpuj) this brand new discord server! We'd love to have you.


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